Behind The Scenes

The G-Wagen finally got its first ever major revamp since it debuted in the late 70s. Sure, there have been numerous facelifts, interiors and engine upgrades over the years, the basics underneath always remained the same, and it was horrendous to drive (once you take off the fanboy glasses). The new 2019 model changes all that. Mostly.

The new Navigator is big news for Lincoln, the luxury brand best known for warmed-over Fords until just a couple of years ago. Today’s models are still based on Fords, but are so extensively differentiated that they can be passed off as a completely separate brand. And one of those new models is the all-new Navigator, which is making waves in the segment right now. We drove one in the summer.

When the Ferrari FF first came out, it was a massive eyesore to many, while others embraced the “shooting brake” bodystyle concept with blind love. The car was a bit of a success for Ferrari though, so a second generation was introduced a couple of years ago, with a completely new name. The GTC4 Lusso improved on the FF’s looks, although it probably won’t convince detractors. We finally got to drive one a couple of months ago.

The Genesis G70 has been a long time coming, as no premium line-up is complete without a compact sports sedan. While the G90 hasn’t caused any waves, and the G80 is a remnant of the Hyundai-badged days, the G70 is the first proper product from the upstart brand that brings something interesting to the table. We were still sceptical about this car though, but we got a message from the General Manager of Genesis Middle East, Altar Yilmaz, to come check out his personal car, and later we got this cherry one for a longer test.

Alfa Romeo, Fiat-Chrysler’s second-tier luxury brand that’s in comeback mode, dropped a bomb when their new rear-wheel-drive Giulia Quadrofoglio became the quickest sedan to lap the ‘Ring (at least at the time). While the hype from that 2015 run has faded, we finally got our hands on it to see if this car will save Alfa.

The Renault Megane was never a major player in the compact segment. Blame it on lack of awareness, brand preconceptions or just lack of desirability, but it just never caught on in the GCC (except with one of our people, who actually owns one). There’s an all-new model in town now. Will it make waves?

The other day, as I parked this candy-red Mazda CX-5 tester, an older European couple came up to me and commented that it’s a good-looking car. They proceeded to ask me if it’s a Toyota, which is when I realised how much brand recognition Mazda has right now. Mind you, they were impressed by the car, inside and out, and they’re folks who were shopping for a Mercedes-Benz.

When you think of Honda, the Jazz is the furthest thing from your mind nowadays. It was unceremoniously cancelled a few years ago in the GCC due to slow sales stemming from its high price. It’s back now in its latest form, although the price hasn’t changed from before. Does it pack more value now?

At the beginning of very year, we do a rundown of our best original stories from the previous year. We did some big things in 2017. We managed to keep revenue steady despite economic challenges, so you can be sure we’ll be around for years to come. We’ve also managed to keep our crown as the most popular automotive website in the region that doesn’t depend exclusively on paid traffic to artificially boost numbers. We underwent a site redesign to bring it up to modern standards. And we started Arabic video reviews with our very own Arabic editor, Tammam. Oh,